Once you’ve found your dream dresses and decided on your accessories — roughly four months out from your wedding — it’s time to start planning for hair and makeup and book your beauty pros.

Will you wear an up-do? Or cascading curls? And, how will you set it off? With a veil, headband or tiara? Make sure to schedule a trial appointment with a hairdresser, and bring in a picture of your desired look along with your hair accessory. The appointment may cost $100 or so, but it’s worth the money. You’ll have the time and peace of mind to discuss options with your hairdresser.

The same goes for a makeup artist — if you decide to splurge on help. Set up a time to meet with an expert who can help you perfect your wedding day makeup, advising you on false eye lashes and whether a bronzer or self-tan is a good idea. The goal, says Tara Fontana, owner of Fairytale Hair and Makeup, based in Southern California, is to fashion a look that’s pretty and feminine and that is you. Perhaps you’ll focus on light and airy shades like peach, or, if you’re blue-eyed, go with gray eye makeup to make them pop.

Brides also can save on the expense and rely on themselves and complimentary help from department store professionals. (Kate Middleton did her own makeup for her 2009 engagement photos, darkly lining her eyes and opting for muted colors for her blush and lipstick.) Mineral makeup may be all the rage as consumers seek less chemical-laden eye shadows, blushes and lipsticks, but most artists prefer to use traditional makeup for the wedding day. It usually has more staying power and photographs better, makeup experts say.

“It’s great for everyday makeup, but it usually has titanium dioxide that acts like a sunscreen which can give a halo effect in pictures, so we tend to stay away from it,” says Adrienne Pitkin, an Austin, Texas-based makeup artist.

Pitkin, encourages her clients to arrive for their makeup appointments well hydrated, with clean skin and a good night’s rest, so drink plenty of water in the days before the milestone event. To minimize stress, brides-to-be should complete most beauty rituals prior to the wedding day. That means scheduling facials, manicures, pedicures and eyebrow appointments within a week of the event. For nails, pick a polish that is subtle, like pale pink or beige, so in case you do nick your nails it won’t be noticeable. And wash your hair the day prior, suggests Fontana, because dirtier hair holds styles better.